If you are one of the thousands of Canadians who are finding success with an e-commerce store in 2021 this article will help you level up from bootstrapped start-up, to competing with giants and scaling toward further growth. It’s not on the app store. It’s not a plugin for your SEO. It’s a little old fashioned, and it’s going to set you apart from the rest of the Shopify masters out there. It’s the distinctive touch of a 24/7 live call answering service.
The term “answering service” doesn’t sound cutting edge, but many of the things a modern answering service does are truly in line with many startups. For example, in 2021 an answering service is often performing help desk activities, customer support, and tier-1 technical support, not to mention some complex stuff, like triaging urgent vs non-urgent requests in real-time and pulling data from your CRM, or the basics like message taking.
I’m more focused on new sales than customer service.
Book more appointments and take more orders by offering phone call ordering instead of just online. This is especially relevant if your customers are part of an older demographic. This UK company saw sales skyrocket after implementing a toll-free number for their 65 and older customers.
Not everyone (even millennials and gen Z) wants to order online, particularly when they have questions about the product or service. Digital marketers and online store owners are obsessed with conversion rates. Offering real-time phone assistance can impact your conversion rates if customers have a clearer picture of your product or service while adding to cart.
But I can’t hire a receptionist right now – it's just me!
Hiring an answering service costs about the same as a premium plugin. Starting at $95/month you can go from “responding to emails when you get a chance” to 24/7 never- miss-a-call availability. First-class customer service from agents who train to handle your businesses questions is more affordable than you think.
Professional and consistent answering.
Many online stores start as a side hustle. It’s a great way to make some extra cash, and if you nail it, eventually escape the 9-5 routine and work full time as your own boss. One of the challenges for a startup is being taken seriously. If you’re answering business calls with your cell phone and greeting potential customers the same way you would a friend “yello” - it’s not going to come off very professionally.
An answering service gives you that professionalism in the first impression. First with the 800 number that immediately tells customers that they are calling a business, not an individual. That's the first easy win.
The second win is the consistent, professional greeting your customers will receive 24/7. You’ll never have to interrupt a meal to catch a phone call and rush through it. Your answering service will give a professional greeting every single time with a trained customer service representative eagerly helping your customers book appointments, place orders or resolve issues. Your business then has a fully operational 24-hour support team in place and customers don’t even have to wait until the next day.
Your new competitive edge.
Many startup e-commerce stores are not employing the 24/7 answering service strategy yet. Making the decision to partner with an answering service for order entry, customer service, or a help desk is a true competitive advantage for your business.
Helping you scale.
Telelink has been the voice of Canadian businesses for 57 years and counting, evolving as your needs do. Our customer success team is here to help you grow every step of the way. Check out our pricing and packages today and speak with a solutions expert who can help you decide which program is best for you.